RASULID

The civilization likely earned its name from one of its primary rulers, Muhammad ibn Harun, whose nickname was “Rasul”. At the start of the Rasulid’s decline, during the end of the thirteenth century, the Zaydi imams managed to partner with a series of rebels in Rasulid lands. Simultaneously, The Egyptian Mamluks captured a Rasulid sultan, al-Mujahid Ali, in Mecca and kept him prisoner. The Sultan returned to Yemen but died in 1424, at which point the dynasty entered a series of upheavals. In 1454 then Sultan al-Mas’ud Abu Al-Qasim gave up his throne and the Yemeni Tahirid Dynasty [i] began.

The primary rivals of the Rasulids were the Imams of Yemen. The Imams of Yemen [ii] were a Zaydi Shia group that existed in Yemen since 897 [iii]. The Imams worked against the Rasulids, running from guerilla-style attacks to psychological operations such as emphasizing the Rasulids’ Turkic origins to encourage the local populations to work against the Rasulid's rule. The Zaydi mainly operated in the northern parts of the Rasulid’s land and were difficult, if not outright impossible, for the Rasulid to control. The Zaydi’s spread the rival Shi’a interpretation of Islam that is still present in a substantial minority of Yemen today [iv].

The Rasulid’s built the foundation in which modern Yemen sits. Economically, the Rasulids opened the Port of Aden [v] and maintained contacts ranging from the Middle East to China. This cemented Yemen’s role as a player in regional ocean trade. The group utilized and mastered a central bureaucracy, creating the basis for the government system that was arguably still present in modern Yemen [vi] until the Civil War. The dynasty captured a vast territory of land that corresponds roughly with the outline of modern Yemeni borders. The group helped spread Sunni Islam throughout the country, the prominent form of Islam [vii] in Yemen today.

At its core, the Rasulid dynasty was a family affair, with rulers passing from father to son. The Rasulids had a large and centralized bureaucratic structure. The central government knew its limitations and understood it could not fully control all the other tribes in its territory, a problem throughout Yemeni history [viii]. Instead, the dynasty focused on controlling the commercial sectors and collecting taxes and customs. This led to the development of a semi-modern state. The first capital of the dynasty was in the coastal city of Zabid and then moved it to Ta’izz [ix], closer to Aden and south of San’aa.

The Rasulid dynasty lasted from 1229 to 1454. The group gained power in 1229 after al-Malik al-Mas'ud, an Abbuyid, left Yemen. Al-Mas’ud gave power to Umar bin Ali. In 1235 Caliph al-Mustansir provided Ali with a diploma of recognition, who changed his name to al-Malik al-Mansur [x]. The Rasulid dynasty ended for three main reasons. One, trade patterns shifted away from the Port of Aden and towards the Persian Gulf [xi]. Two, the Zaydis gained support and started taking land. Three, the Egyptian Mamluks gained influence in the Hijaz [xii] region. A loss in military power and economic prosperity led to the group’s demise.

The Rasulid dynasty brought in one of the most prosperous societies [xiii] in Islamic-era Yemen. The establishment of a centralized government and the opening of the Port of Aden are likely the group’s most impressive accomplishments. The group established itself as a significant player in Indian Ocean trade [xiv], establishing relationships even with China. Additionally, The group consolidated the most land in Yemen during the medieval Islamic era, allowing them to compete against the Ayyubids [xv] and Mamluks for influence in the Hijaz. Altogether, the Rasulids truly built the foundation upon which modern Yemen sits. Rasulid statues can still be found today [xvi] in Ta’izz.

The Rasulids brought in a time of economic growth and political stability for Yemen. Port customs and taxes were the primary economic backbone. The downfall of the Abbasid Caliphate [xvii] shifted regional trade towards the Port of Aden, making it a player in the Indian Oceanic trade. They regularly traded with China [xviii]. The dynasty established distinct tax districts guarded by the standing army, which received preferential treatment from the Rasulids. Outside of port trade, the agricultural sector dominated [xix] local trade and even provided goods to Mecca. It appears that women were semi-financially independent [xx] as some monuments were sponsored by ruling women.